The pages of DC Comics have always told, re-told, and even re-imagined the stories of their superheroes like Batman and Superman countless times now. Naturally, they have also been adapted several times for the entertainment industry for both the silver and big screens.
Among them, DCAU’s animated series of Batman’s and Superman’s stories from producers Bruce Timm and Alan Burnett to this day is considered one of the best in superhero entertainment history.
And since Batman: The Animated Series was such a beloved show during its entire four-season run time, the successor of the series, which was the iconic Superman: The Animated Series, had to prove just as good, if not better.
As Timm saw problems starting to emerge with the 1996 show, especially with the villains in the series, he pushed himself harder and adapted legendary comic book artist Jack Kirby’s Fourth World series from DC Comics to keep the show afloat.
Superman: The Animated Series Producer Had To Adapt DC’s Fourth World To Maintain Show’s Quality
Creating an iconic television series that can stand the test of time is not an easy feat by any stretch, just ask producer Bruce Timm, who created the iconic Batman: The Animated Series back in 1992 that has fans gushing over it to this day.
Thus, when it came time for Superman: The Animated Series to take over where the previous show left off, Timm found himself struggling to maintain the same quality and legacy that Batman’s story brought to the screen.
In a past interview with CBR, the animator revealed that since Batman’s series proved to be such an exceptional show with such a die-hard fan following, they had to go beyond, with Superman. But the problem they faced was a lack of powerful and memorable villains that could match the Man of Steel’s legacy in the show.
Thus, as the show went on, he started to lean more into legendary comic book artist Jack Kirby’s work that he did for DC Comics, among which his Fourth World comics series is widely renowned, filled to the brim with exceptionally well-written and mesmerizing characters. He said:
“It was really a matter that Superman’s rogues gallery was not as visually interesting as Batman’s rogues gallery, so we knew we really needed better villains. I was always a huge Jack Kirby fan and there’s a precedent that the whole Fourth World thing was introduced in the Jimmy Olsen comics first so there’s a connection right there and kind of low-hanging fruit.”
Thus, not only did Superman: The Animated Series live up to the greatness of its predecessor, but also managed to surpass it in due time, becoming an icon in superhero entertainment history.
What Is Jack Kirby’s Fourth World Comic Book Series?
Considered to be one of the most talented and revered individuals in the comic book industry, Jack Kirby was behind some of the most iconic characters in DC Comics history, among which was a family of titles created in the 1970s by him, dubbed The Fourth World.
These were several titles and series, which were part of a science-fiction-based mythological lore revolving around ancient space deities known as the New Gods. While the ultimate storyline was never brought to a conclusion, it did provide us with some of the most iconic characters in the wider DC lore such as Darkseid, Doctor Bedlam, and Infinity Man, to name a few.
Superman: The Animated Series is currently streaming on Max.
